Brexit news: Boris Johnson suffers day of disaster as MPs vote to explode his parliament plan and anti-EU kipper rules tirade exposed as false

As it happened – politics from Westminster and beyond

Parliament vote to stop the suspension of parliament

MPs have voted to stop future prime minister from suspending parliament, as Boris Johnson's anti-EU kipper rules tirade has been exposed as false.

The motion would ensure that parliament is kept open in the days leading up to the 31 October Brexit deadline. A similar amendment was approved last week by just one vote, and a similarly tight result is expected when the Commons divides this afternoon.

The latest bid to avoid no deal comes as Boris Johnson, the favourite to become prime minister next week, faced questions over his claim that EU rules were responsible for UK fisheries having to pay more to transport their products. Brussels rejected the suggestion, insisting the regulations were actually introduced by the UK.

Elsewhere, the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said Theresa May’s agreement was the only way to withdraw in an “orderly manner”.

Follow the latest developments in the live blog below

Key Points

• MPs vote to prevent Boris Johnson suspending parliament to force through no deal
• No-deal Brexit could push Britain's economy into recession by 2020
• Michel Barnier warns ‘UK will have to face the consequences’
• EU secretly offered to put Brexit 'on ice' for five years
• Labour minister sacked over 'deeply offensive' comments attacking Corbyn

[18 July 2019 17:36 · Jon Sharman]

Diane Abbott has predicted that Labour MPs will mount a fresh leadership challenge against Jeremy Corbyn amid fresh recriminations over antisemitism in the party, writes Lizzy Buchan.

The shadow cabinet minister, a long-time ally of Mr Corbyn, told party activists that critics of the Labour leader were exploiting his “vulnerability” over the row on handling cases of anti-Jewish hate.

[18 July 2019 17:52 · Jon Sharman]

The pound could fall to as low as one-for-one against the dollar in the event of a no-deal Brexit, as fears for the future of Britain's economy prompt a mass sell-off of the currency, according to a Wall Street bank, writes Ben Chapman.

Morgan Stanley said the pound has come under “intense selling pressure” since Theresa May announced last month that she will step down, paving the way for a Tory Party leadership contest.

[18 July 2019 18:11 · Jon Sharman]

If you want to know quite how a Boris Johnson government is going to go down (literally), it is worth noting that he is still a week short of becoming prime minister but, in a Westminster first, has nonetheless already lost his first House of Commons vote, writes Tom Peck.

There is no other way of interpreting events on Thursday lunchtime, when no fewer than 47 Tory MPs all failed to do as they were told, and refused to vote down an amendment designed to stop Boris Johnson from proroguing Parliament.

[18 July 2019 18:29 · Jon Sharman]

A no-deal Brexit would be "massively negative" for the UK and the EU, according to the incoming European Commission president.

Ursula von der Leyen is to replace Jean-Claude Juncker as Brussels' top official on 1 November, the day after Brexit is due to take place, after her appointment was narrowly approved by MEPs on Tuesday.

She said:" We don't want a hard Brexit, it's a bad outcome for both sides."

[18 July 2019 18:43 · Harry.Cockburn]

The government has been accused of "a poor attempt at a cover-up" in an announcement about post-Grenfell cladding tests.

Labour's shadow housing minister Sarah Jones said two years on from Grenfell, people are still living in "potential death traps".

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has updated its guidance on high pressure laminate (HPL) cladding, which the Government's own report says is popular as it is available in a "wide range of colours and finishes which makes them attractive as a way of bringing colour and different finishes to an external facade".

An expert panel concluded that "systems using any type of HPL panels" which are combined with combustible insulation are "very unlikely to adequately resist the spread of fire".

The government's official advice is that building owners who identify these materials on residential buildings over 18m (60ft) in height should take "immediate measures to remediate their system".